Technology Trip to Hope College

Last week our new Computing & Technology Club (plus a couple faculty) went on a field trip to Hope College to see some of their coolest technology.

We saw lasers, their cluster supercomputers, their 3-D projector, and the particle accelerator. I think the technology that was easiest for the students to understand was the supercomputer and projector. Brent Krueger, Paul Van Allsburg, and Graham Peaslee were our great tour guides. I snapped a couple of pictures of the supercomputer and 3D projector. The amount of power that runs to the cluster computers is sure impressive!

Of course, a 2-D monitor does no justice to the 3-D projector, but the ability to look at molecules in biochemistry in 3-D is definitely the coolest teaching advance for chemistry that I’ve seen! I remember struggling with organic and biochemistry and now I want to go back and retake both classes in 3-D!

When I visit college campuses, I often find that I want desperately to go back to school and get a degree in _________ (fill in the blank). Perhaps I am just doomed to collect degrees until I die. I’d like to get a degree in Arabic, a degree in Physics, and a Masters degree in Chemistry.. I’d like a degree in Graphic Design and a degree in Music (did you know I play the Viola?). I’d like a degree in Computer Science and a degree in Educational Technology. I’d like to finish a degree in Engineering (having collected a large number of the classes required). Let’s hope my husband doesn’t read this post.